There it stood….. The masterpiece….. Finally, it was finished! Our afternoon endeavor had gracefully come to its long-awaited completion! With frozen fingertips and half-numbed toes, we could now run eagerly towards the anticipated luxuries of the heartfelt home. Hastily scurrying through the wooden back door, which had now been frozen into a half-opened position, we quickly removed the layers of our damp, crystalized clothing in a fervent attempt to hurry inside. As was always the custom, patiently awaiting within resided a heartwarming double-dose of the winter season's comforts. From one side of the room, partially charred timbers stood popping and crackling as they intensely radiated in their orange and blue flames, while from the other, the sweet, inviting aroma of the marshmallow-infused cocoa, relentlessly arose from the kitchen's stainless cooktop. Fortunately, within moments, the bone-chilling effects of winter's cold, bitter elements became nothing more than a memory, as they quickly relinquished their grip to the soothing warmth within. Outside, the freshly completed works of the day-long project stood ever-so-proudly erect, as it was frequently and joyfully viewed through the frosty, weathered pane of the great indoors. Yes indeed, my friends, from his corncob pipe and buttoned nose, to the eyes made out of coal, our latest rendition of "Frosty the Snowman" had now been completed!
Where oh where has time ever gone, beloved? How many of you remember the good-old-days when you had nothing better nor more important to do than to just run outside and build an innocent little snowman? Anyone? Before we delve into our next article, I'd like to take a few minutes here to share a couple of thoughts. The reason that I started with an example of the snowman above, is that I wanted to use that example to draw up an important analogy. Do you remember years back, when you formed that initial layer to your very first snowman? You know, that big one on the bottom. How did you do it? If you're like most, you grabbed a small handful of snow, compacted it just right, and then dropped it to the ground to begin rolling it around, right? It's the next step, however, that I'm looking for the answer to. For if the temperature and moisture content of the latest snowfall is just right, what happens next? You got it! Within seconds, as it's rolled around the yard, that tiny little snowball becomes so large, so quick, that you can barely even push it!
If words could only express what's about to happen for some of you who have been curiously following these articles here on "The Epicenter", I would not hesitate for a second to write them. Unfortunately, however, they can't! So for now, let's just simply say: things are about to get really big, really fast!!!
There comes a point in time when you're learning the message of the third dimension of God's grace, that just like Paul and Silas experienced, "suddenly, there is an earthquake"!!! For the first time in your life, as "the eyes of your understanding are opened", you begin see things from another perspective – A HEAVENLY ONE!!! And though I will soon be "teaching" as to how one can enjoy that awesome experience; for now, let's just talk!
THE EARTHQUAKE
Our first thought will concern that of the earthquake itself. The cause of the earthquake will be just like many which are experienced in the natural: a sudden shifting of the earth's plates along a fault line! We will soon see in future teachings, that the "earth" in scriptures, is oftentimes a type or shadow of the "natural mind"; and the "fault line", well, you guessed it, speaks of a "faulty teaching or tradition"! Therefore, in the Bible, an "earthquake", though it may or may not have happened in the natural, speaks "spiritually", of a "change which takes place in your mind, as a sudden revelation from heaven, exposes a tradition and replaces it with a spiritual truth"! But here's the dilemma concerning this earthquake: The natural mind (which you have interpreted the scriptures with all of your Christian Life), and the spiritual mind (from which you will now view the scriptures with), are directly opposed to one another! Therefore, once your "eyes of understanding are opened", everything begins to look different, everything!!! The amount of spiritual concepts which will have to be adjusted is going to be absolutely staggering to you at first!!! It's almost as if someone walks up to you and says: " one plus one equals three", then, a split second later, "two times two equals eight", followed by "three divided by three equals four", and then, actually proceeds to show you that all of his statements are true! This temporary condition, which is pictured in the scriptures as the "time of Jacob's trouble" and also the time of the "afflicting of the soul", will often make one feel completely unstable and insecure for the first time ever in their Christian walk. But it's a necessary time, which has been pre-appointed by the Father, to eventually prepare ones self for ruling and reigning in both spirit and in truth! Saul of Tarsus was so blinded by his experience, that he had to be "led by the hand" into town, where on the "third day", God's messenger laid his "hand" on him, and his "eyes were opened"! Oh what a picture, my friends! The "hand" of course, speaks of the 5-FOLD MINISTRY (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher)!
THE PROGRESSION
Throughout the scriptures, there's a designated progression of events which must clearly be followed if one is ever going to experience these mind-changing revelations. This is not an area of God's plan and purpose, in which you get to pick and choose you're "pathway to the prize"! Within the scriptures, the realm which we call the "third dimension" of grace is clearly pictured by the "Feast of Tabernacles", and the "Feast of Tabernacles", my friends, has three distinct parts! The first part of this feast is where the "earthquake" place; this is called the "Feast of Trumpets", which is where you're "eyes of understanding are opened"! Remember, Paul prayed fervently in Ephesians 1:18, that this experience would happen to the church (a people who had already undergone the initial salvation experience)! Why? Because it will bring you into a position where you can now spiritually interpret the scriptures as he himself was doing! But even more important, it sets you up perfectly, so that you can enter the second part of the Feast of Tabernacles: the Day of Atonement (the tremors)! Why must the Feast of Trumpets come first? Because the Day of Atonement is the baptism of fire (1 Cor. 3:13-15)! Think about it, folks! The purpose of the baptism of fire is to remove everything from within you that is not of God, so that you can move upward and onward to experience the third and final part of Tabernacles: the "Year of Jubilee" (the realm of the spirit in its fullness)! Therefore, if the eyes of your understanding have been opened before atonement, you will now be able to "see clearly", so that you can separate the "precious from the vile" during Atonement! Are you ready for this? You must go through this! Anyone who chooses not to enter the "THIRD DIMENSION" of God's grace, completely forfeits their right to experience the Year of Jubilee!
For years now, Pentecostals have been jumping, shouting, blowing dog whistles, and wearing party hats on national television, and calling this the Year of Jubilee! Nonsense! I have some bad news for them: it will never happen in the realm in which they are currently stuck in! The Year of Jubilee is a part of the Feast of Tabernacles, not Pentecost! you will never experience the fullness of the spirit (Jubilee) until the consuming fire of God has first and foremost, burned out all of the vile things that are within (Atonement)! In like manner, you will never go through "Atonement" until you're "eyes of understanding have been opened" (Trumpets)! This prescribed order of progression has already been recorded in the scriptures, and the Word of God is now "forever settled in heaven" (Ps. 119:89)! One thing is for certain, my friend: neither you, nor I, nor anyone else, is ever going to change it! Now do you see why I've spent three articles harping about the traditions which must be removed? The only way to experience His Fullness is to get to the Year of Jubilee! It's the only realm in God where the "cat gets out of the bag (see previous article)! God, himself, has been patiently waiting to "touch his people", but unfortunately, the church has yet to get the progression right!
Wow, where have three pages gone? This was supposed to be the introduction! Due to the unexpected length of this post, I think I will go ahead and make a few closing comments, and then start my next topic as a new article. My greatest concern for what is about to happen here on "The Epicenter" is this: As soon as your "eyes of understanding are opened", and you begin to see how things need to change, immediately you are going to say (and I did as well), "If that is true, then what about this, this, and this…"? One question answered, leads to three more questions asked! Do you see what dilemma I'm in? I can only post one article at a time! Everyone that has ever entered this dimension has had one primary thing in common: they want to know everything now! You see, my friend, we're all about to discover something very quickly: due to our traditions, we've placed our heavenly father in a box, and known it not! But as soon as our eyes of understanding are opened, we suddenly discover, just how big he really is! We suddenly find out, that there ain't no religious box that's ever going to hold him! Because of this, it's going to require great patience in the weeks to come as we begin to expose these traditions and slowly replace them with truth! With this said, however, I will absolutely guarantee one thing to those who remain patient. As the traditions begin to fall, and the truth begins to appear, when the dust settles, the word of God will suddenly become like a perfectly woven tapestry: more clear to you than you've ever seen it before!!! That, my friends, I will surely guarantee! For it only makes sense doesn't it?
"…and he showed me a PURE RIVER OF WATER OF LIFE, CLEAR AS CRYSTAL, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb…" (REV. 22:1)
…..TO BE CONTINUED